


一心同体 [Two Bodies, One Heart]

by yeska_noka



Category: Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu | Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-26
Updated: 2014-02-26
Packaged: 2018-10-29 17:43:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10858923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeska_noka/pseuds/yeska_noka
Summary: The end of an era.





	一心同体 [Two Bodies, One Heart]

**Author's Note:**

> I think this might be the first time I've actually cried while writing a fic. Knocked this out super fast tonight because it's been on my mind for days now and it just needed to get done. It's not edited at all because I couldn't even bring myself to read it after writing it. There are probably gaping holes because I'm working purely off the emotions I've gotten from the show and my knowledge of the actual plot of the anime/manga is shaky at best. But I can't imagine anyone's really going to read this, so it probably doesn't matter. More for my own record. It just needed to get written.
> 
> 一心同体 [Two Bodies, One Heart] is a thing from Gekitotsu, although in the play it's brought up by the Spartanian pilots. But Mittermeier does say to Reuentahl something to the effect of 一つの心で戦いたい (I want to fight with one heart) multiple times. I've taken some really loose liberties with this, but again, who cares?
> 
> Also this probably makes no sense without already knowing a lot of the characters and story. Hmm.
> 
> (Warning for adultery, I guess, since Mittermeier is happily married, but I don't feel that has any bearing on this.)

He can feel him drifting away, knows that something is changing and doesn’t know how to stop it. He wants things to be as they always were, fighting side-by-side, the Twin Stars of the Empire, protecting and enforcing the path of righteousness that Lord Reinhard has worked to forge.

“I’m praying for your success,” Mittermeier says, extending his hand. Reuentahl steps forward to take it, but stops suddenly, his hand closing to a fist in mid-air as he stares at it, and Mittermeier frowns. 

“Success in my mission? No,” Reuentahl says. “That’s not what I’m thinking.”

“Reuentahl…” Mittermeier’s heart drops as Reuentahl turns his back and walks away. He only waits a few moments though, before giving chase. 

“Reuentahl!” he calls, jogging to catch up with his friend. He pulls him into a quiet side corridor, further down toward access utility hatches and away from the marching footsteps of the troops headed for drills in the bays. 

“Stop it,” Mittermeier demands. “I don’t want to hear it.” 

But Reuentahl doesn’t stop. He’s too worked up and although Mittermeier has heard this rant dozens of times before, he’s going to hear it again and it pains him to listen. He hates that Reuentahl thinks so little of himself, that he can’t see how brilliant he is, how much he’s already accomplished. Instead he feels himself hounded by fate, fighting demons from his past that even Mittermeier can’t protect him from, as much as he tries. 

“...but now I’ve figured it out,” Reuentahl is saying, and Mittermeier forces himself to focus. “I finally know my purpose in life.” There’s a passion in his voice that scares Mittermeier. “Mittermeier, you won’t stand in my way, will you?”

Mittermeier can’t answer what he doesn’t know. He asks a question of his own instead, hoping, hoping. “Will you tell me that you were born to serve Lord Reinhard?”

“Can you be happy about my role at Iserlohn, Mittermeier? My rival is that Yang Wen-li.” It’s not an answer either way, and Mittermeier doesn’t know what Reuentahl plans, but Reuentahl holds out his hand and Mittermeier takes it anyway. Maybe it will work out anyway. Maybe Reuentahl will surprise them all. 

Reuentahl surprises him then, certainly, as he uses his grip on Mittermeier’s hand to pull him close. Mittermeier stumbles, but looks up to meet Reuentahl’s stare, brilliant in it’s intensity. Reuentahl says nothing, but after this long together, Mittermeier understands him anyway. 

Mittermeier takes a deep breath. “Reuentahl. It’s still possible for us to fight together with one heart,” he says, and he wishes it with all his being although he knows it’s not true. _Let me be wrong_ , he thinks. _Please let me be wrong_. 

And he’s both shocked and not shocked at all when Reuentahl closes the distance and kisses Mittermeier fiercely on the mouth. 

_No_ , Mittermeier understands. And _goodbye_. And so Mittermeier kisses him back, a last unspoken plea to stay, to turn back from the path Reuentahl’s chosen. Mittermeier is not ready to let him go. 

He can feel it in Reuentahl’s body, the way he leans into Mittermeier, and a small blossom of hope flowers within him - Reuentahl doesn’t want to leave. There’s still a chance then, and Mittermeier reaches out to pull him closer, to keep him close, to keep him safe from himself if he has to. He does his best to communicate this to Reuentahl, wills him to feel it in his kiss, to know from his touch how much Mittermeier wants him to stay. 

A hand on Reuentahl’s shoulder - _stay with me_. Another hand brushing through his jet black hair - _I need you_. Maybe if he can pull Reuentahl into himself close enough, he’ll be able to keep him. 

And Reuentahl follows, his hands tight on Mittermeier’s waist, clinging, as he lets Mittermeier pull him in, as he pushes himself even tighter against Mittermeier’s body. In this moment, Mittermeier knows that he can keep him, that he can do it. The overwhelming relief nearly brings him to tears, and he staggers back against the bulkhead of the corridor, Reuentahl following, and his breath is pushed from his lungs as Reuentahl crushes him into the wall. Mittermeier doesn’t even care - he tightens his hold on Reuentahl’s hair and doesn’t stop kissing him. 

The heat of Reuentahl’s mouth against his sends fire washing through him like a laser cannon strike, the slide of their tongues a constant battery against his senses. Fighting, battles - these are things Mittermeier knows how to do, and he does them best with Reuentahl, one mind and one heart working together. 

Even if he’s never touched Reuentahl before, not like this, Mittermeier understands him and reacts to him as he always has for as long as he can remember. When Reuentahl pushes his hips forward, Mittermeier only shifts just enough to align them perfectly, swallowing Reuentahl’s resulting groan. Reuentahl moves faster, pushes for more, and Mittermeier holds him close, his arousal strong but overshadowed by the tightness in his chest when he thinks of just how much he _loves_ this man. 

He knows how important he is to Reuentahl. He knows that Reuentahl loves him just as fiercely in return, and it’s that thought that gives him hope. He’ll give everything he has if it will convince Reuentahl to stay. Reuentahl thrusts more insistently against him, taking them closer, and Mittermeier closes his eyes and lets himself feel. He will give Reuentahl this if that’s what he wishes to take.

He’s too close to speak, pleasure whirling through him as Reuentahl continues to move, and Mittermeier gasps for air, breathing the same breaths as Reuentahl as he gives in, a soft cry on his lips that Reuentahl echoes. Even as he fights to remain standing he can feel Reuentahl shudder against him, clinging as he too lets go. 

Mittermeier stays this way for a long while, leaning heavily against the wall for support as he holds Reuentahl, feeling the man’s heartbeat slow, his breathing return to normal, but still he doesn’t let go and Reuentahl doesn’t pull away. 

“Stay with me,” Mittermeier says softly, this time giving voice to his words, and he’s terrified of what he’ll see when Reuentahl leans back just enough to look at him. 

He sees nothing. Two eyes, one black and one blue, stare steadily back at him, but a hand reaches for his and their fingers entwine, and when Reuentahl steps away he pulls Mittermeier with him. 

They end up in Mittermeier’s cabin. They shower and crawl into bed warm and clean, and although few words have passed between them, the ache in Mittermeier’s heart has eased. He holds Reuentahl close, and this time Mittermeier is the one to breach the distance between them, brushing a kiss across Reuentahl’s mouth in question. 

It’s much slower this time, but no less passionate. Reuentahl’s fingers twine through his hair as he pulls Mittermeier on top of himself. He hooks one leg across Mittermeier’s knee, curling them closer, and everything is right: two bodies, one heart. 

Afterwards, Mittermeier falls asleep in peace, Reuentahl tucked against his back, warm and strong and present. 

When he wakes up, there’s nothing but a note.

_Forgive me._

 

\----------

 

Reinhard calls, and Mittermeier goes with a heavy heart. It sinks even further when Reinhard looks him in the eye. 

“I can no longer overlook his betrayal,” Reinhard says, for that’s exactly what it is. For too long Reinhard has forgiven Reuentahl his ambitions, has excused his rebellions, but Reuentahl threatens to bring down the very Empire they have all struggled to create. “You will take him out.” 

Mittermeier scarcely dares to breathe for fear that he’ll fall apart. 

Reinhard is not unsympathetic. “You can say say no,” he tells him, looking sorry. “But it will be done.”

Mittermeier forces his body into a salute. “Yes, My Lord.”

 

\----------

 

With all of his broken heart, Mittermeier prays for Reuentahl to run, to disappear beyond the reaches of his Twin Star. But Mittermeier strikes like the Gale Wolf that he is, and Reuentahl stands his ground. 

Mittermeier stares out across the distance at the blue-painted battleship, and hits the button on the communication console one last time. 

“Reuentahl…”

The click as Reuentahl cuts the communication echoes across the command deck like a gun shot, and Mittermeier’s heart shatters. He raises his hand in command and closes his eyes. 

“Fire!”


End file.
